Review: The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Fire wants to burn

Water wants to flow

Air wants to rise

Earth wants to bind

Chaos wants to devour

Call wants to live.

Most kids would do anything to pass
the Iron Trial.

Not Callum Hunt. He wants to fail.

All his life, Call has been warned
by his father to stay away from magic.
If he succeeds at the Iron Trial and is
admitted into the Magisterium, he is sure
it can only mean bad things for him.

But when he tries his best to do his
worst, he fails at failing. 

The Magisterium awaits him now -
a place that's both sensational
and sinister. 

But with dark ties to his past,
and a twisty path to his future,
it turns out Call's biggest test is
still yet to come. 

(I would just like to say that I took the description of this book from goodreads, because I truly suck at describing books sorry! Now with that out of the way, let's begin with the actual review...)

   I don't think I have ever come across such a massive, amazing, completely unexpected plot twist in my whole life. I mean, I was expecting something big, but I didn't think that would be it. I need to know what happens next, and the next book isn't even out yet! HELP ME!!

   I'm not going to lie: in the beginning of this book, I was quite disappointed. Two of my favourite authors, one awesome synopsis, and such a great promise of a book...and yet I found the first quarter of the book rather unenjoyable. 

   But then everything started coming together, and the action kicked in, and the amazing book that I had been hoping for finally revealed itself in an amazing show of awesomeness.

   I fell in love with the characters and the world that was created. If you like fantasy/paranormal/supernatural YA, read this book!

Thanks!

- Emma

Happy Reading!❤

Issue 6 of The Fangirl Guide: Traveling - beautiful places to read

I visited a beautiful waterfall in April, and have since come up with this idea:

Everyone has a safe-place. Yes, mostly (for us bibliophiles) in books. But what about where you open that window to fantasy? Is it in your bed? In your garden? In front of the TV? What about when you're traveling or on vacation? In the hotel? Or on the beach?

Well, there are plenty of natural wonders in the world for you to discover, and read in. I've decided to research into and list a few of them by place, using book inspirations to find beautiful places for bookdragons!

This is basically a round the world ultimate trip for book lovers:

Europe


Top Withins, Yorkshire. The inspiration for Wuthering Heights and an absolutely beautiful place, this has got to be one of the most atmospheric and pretty places for bibliophiles in the U.K.


Amsterdam, Netherlands. Obviously an amazing place to visit and see where Anne Frank wrote her diary, and also see where the world-famous The Fault in Our Stars was filmed!

 America & the U.S.A
 
Powell's City Bookstore, Portland, Oregon - Visit the flagship Powell's bookstores, the largest independent chain of bookstores in the world!


The National Library of Brazil, Rio De Janeiro: One of the worlds most beautiful libraries.


Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Just breathtaking.


Phoenix Lake, California. When I read Second Chance Summer, I looked up Lake Phoenix. Of course, I couldn't find the actual one, but I can't help thinking it was inspired by this one!



Yosemite National Park, California. I think everyone who read Amy and Roger's Epic Detour will agree here!

Australia
 
Australian beaches are just beautiful! I think an amazing beach must be the most relaxing place to read!

 
 New Zealand - with five times more sheep than people, this is the best place to escape from people, and the real world.

Africa 

South Africa - I apologize, I don't know of the exact location of this gem!


The pyramids, Egypt. A beautiful, mysterious place to read.

-Beth

Happy Reading!♥

Review: Sundae Girl by Cathy Cassidy

 

Sundae Girl is a book by Cathy Cassidy, first published in 2007 by Penguin Books Ltd.

Jude's family are one crazy, weird mix. Her dad is an Elvis impersonator and her mum is just...mum. All Jude wishes for is a hassle free life...but when you live her life that is pretty hard to come by...

♥

But Mum is on a roll, running through 'Over The Rainbow' again and again before subsiding into endless slit-your-wrist Irish songs. Grandad shakes his head and goes to check on the turkey, but it's not ready yet, so we open a bottle of ginger beer and pour it into mugs. Alcohol is banned in our house, even at Christmas, on account of Mum's problem.

We have mince pies, warm from the microwave, and cream, sitting back to pull crackers and watch the Queen's speech. Grandad huffs and grumbles and swears under his breath all the way through. It's his favourite part of Christmas. 

♥ 

I loved this book at about age 10-12, and it hasn't lost it's magic yet. It's a great pre-teen book, and although is not quite as good as it was when I was younger, I still love it. 

This book really does explain things very well. Problems that arise in some and problems that arise in all teenagers and pre-teens lives. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good, well written and easy to read book. I have to say, this book isn't a masterpiece, I don't marvel at it. But it's not half bad as books go.

-Beth

Happy Reading!♥ 

Review: Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine

 

Mockingbird is a book by Kathryn Erskine, first published in the UK in 2012 by Usborne Publishing Ltd.

After her older brother's death, Caitlin has no one to explain the world to her. Caitlin sees things differently to other people. She has Asperger's syndrome. Everything to her is a confusing mix of colours, emotions and things she can't understand.  

When Caitlin reads the definition of 'closure' in the dictionary, she decides that's what she and her dad need. And as she struggles to find it, Caitlin learns a lot about friendship, empathy and how to let colour into her black-and-white life. 

♥

I can see the light come on through my eyelids and I hear a creaking sound and then Mrs. Robbin's shaky voice. Can I get you something? Caitlin? Hot chocolate? Warm milk? 

My Dictionary.

Dictionary? 

Yes.

Oh. I was thinking of-

PLEASE.

More creaking. Okay dear.

I look up CLOsure and it says: the state of experiencing an emotional conclusion to a difficult life event such as the death of a loved one. 

♥

I'm not really sure what to think of Mockingbird. 

On one hand, it was very informative and taught me a lot about autism and Asperger's syndrome. Also, I found it very deep and emotionally well written. 

But, on the other hand, I didn't really like it. Actually, it's not that I didn't like it. It's just, I didn't really enjoy reading it.  

I think Emma puts it better. We were both lucky enough to be given this book for free, and always like to give a book a chance. But, the way Emma described reading it was sort of not very fun to read. It's not one you'd really choose, or miss, if you get what I mean. 

-Beth and Emma

Happy Reading!♥

 

Review: An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

(Please excuse the terrible photo - it in no way reflects the magnificence that is this book!)

19 Katherines and counting...

Colin's nineteen relationships have all started

and ended the same: him falling for a girl

named Katherine, and then a Katherine

dumping him. 

On a road trip miles from home, this

anagram-happy, washed-up kid prodigy, with his 

Judge Judy loving best friend riding shotgun, is 

on a mission to prove 

The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability,

which he hopes will predict any relationships future 

and avenge dumpees everywhere.

And maybe, just maybe, it will finally 

win him the girl.

   I. Loved. This. Book.

   There's just something about John Green's writing that is so flipping awesome, and don't even get me started on his characters! I loved the main character, Colin (anagrams and all) and Hassan (the Judge Judy loving best friend) was hilarious - though I'm not sure his Thunderstick jokes were his best material.

   I thoroughly enjoyed this book, from the start where a love sick Colin is certain he is nothing but a washed-up kid prodigy, to him finally having his 'eureka' moment, and realising that what he thought was true isn't so important after all.

You need to read this book. It takes you on a funny, roller coaster of a journey that will surely bring you to the place you need to be at the end.

   Well done John Green - yet another book of yours I have come to treasure!

Thanks!

- Emma

Happy Reading!❤

Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Fangirl is a book by Rainbow Rowell, first published in 2013 by St. Martin's Press.

Cath is the ultimate fangirl. She is obsessed with Simon Snow and writing fanfic. But then, her twin sister Wren decides to go to college, and that Cath has to go too. When Wren splits the twins apart and stops being the other half, her twin has no choice but to get out in the big wide world too.

But it's not as easy for Cath, as her 'world' isn't real...

♥

After another twenty pages, Cath was getting sleepy. At some point, Levi had leaned against her, and then she'd leaned back, and it was hard to think about what was happening on that side of her body because she was busy reading . . . Though there was almost an entire chapter there where her lips and her eyes were moving, but her brain wasn't keeping track of anything but how warm he was. How warm her roommate's boyfriend was.

One of her roommate's boyfriends. Did that matter? If Reagan had three boyfriends, did that mean this was only one-third wrong?

♥

Gosh, what can I say. I'm fangirling so much right now. (Sorry, that was bad).

I love Rainbow. I mean love. So, so much. The way she writes is just...astounding.

With Fangirl, I could read and read or I could read and stop and carry on later. This book was, I don't know why, kinda relaxing. Maybe because it's mostly written in a day-by-day format, or because it's like a diary. I did the same with The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I could take breaks between chapters and not have to rush through everything - instead; absorbing every word.

Also, the way Rainbow writes about love and relationships fascinates me. She makes a kiss mean everything. She makes them not just a kiss. Everything is so important.

A year ago, I thought fangirl's were people who thought meeting a lame pop star was the best thing that ever happened to them.

Now I know the truth. Fangirl's are people like ME. Who obsess over books and movies and things that other people that don't see as important. Who dream of bookstores and sweaters with book quotes on them. Who's ultimate wish is to have a black hardback edition of Paper Towns. Who if they found a portal to their favorite fictional world in their closet, would jump straight in without hesitation. Who are nerds and don't care. We are us. We are Fangirl's. And we are freaking fantabulous.

-Beth

Happy Reading!♥

Review: Waves by Sharon Dogar

 

Waves is a book by Sharon Dogar, first published in 2007 by The Chicken House.

Charley, Hal and their family holiday in Cornwall every year. But last year, something went wrong. An 'accident' happened, and now Charley's been in a coma for an entire year, neither dead nor alive.

On their holiday in Cornwall this year, Hal finds it hard to shake off Charley's presence. He needs to find out what happened last summer, no matter what it takes. 

'A haunting story of love, lies and loss.'

♥

 'Help me, Hal!'

I stare at them both, but they don't notice, and the shiver inside me becomes fixed and cold, hard and frozen - I want to howl with laughter at the weird friggin' irony of it. Why now, why are they thinking about this now? Just when she's coming alive again for me? Why now, just when I'm beginning to remember something?

And Charley's voice comes back, stronger than ever.

'Remember.'

♥ 

Gosh, this one was amazing. I thought I would be disappointed by any book after I'll Give You The Sun, but this book was the right choice. Because, apart from a few grammar errors, this book was just beautiful. Maybe not as beautiful as I'll Give You The Sun, but beautiful in its own right. 

I think it was great to read a book that contained so much mystery, as I normally like light-hearted reads and romance. But Sharon Dogar's writing is just captivating...remarkable. 

-Beth

Happy reading!♥

Minecon 2015: A First Hand Overview

We arrived in London on Friday 3rd July, ready for a Minecraft-packed weekend at the Excel Centre. We received our wristbands and goodie-bags on Friday. To get an exclusive chance to own one of these 10,000 goodie bags (along with an official Minecon 2015 cape(also one of 10,000)) purchase them here!

 

Saturday morning. The centre opened at 8am, for the opening ceremony to begin at 10:30. Here, Lydia Winters and fellow staff, including Jeb, opened the ceremony and talked about everything that was to be going on over the course of the weekend.

The Expo Hall

 When there were no shows going on that you wanted to see, The Expo Hall really was the central hub of Minecon 2015. Cleverly, everything was arranged around an Ender Dragon wrapped around Big Ben. Here there were tournaments, stages, life size Minecraft trees, animals, figures and fences, mini-games, art exhibitions, an indie zone and shops.

 

 Mine Chest was one of the exhibitors at Minecon. You went inside a giant chest to be told about the company, who will soon be selling an official bundle of Minecraft goodies delivered to your door in a monthly package.

The life size animals and fences!

Part of the amazing art exhibition.

 Mini-games, such as Creeper Catch, where you could win exclusive Minecon Floppets.

Card games could be played in order to win Minecraft figures!

 

The landscape and park. The Expo Hall was very cleverly designed to be related to Minecraft and London. The park included traditional English post and phone boxes, including a real fountain, signs and benches. There were even two bridges and a fake river!

 Now, let's talk about Small World. I think the best word to describe it has to be over-hyped. I don't think I was the only one who was slightly disappointed when it opened. Basically, Small World wasn't opened until later in the day on Saturday. Then, you had to queue around these amazing sculptures of different biomes in Minecraft, including the nether and end. Then, you got to go on a golf buggy (actually pretty cool) around some tunnels. I don't actually know if they were meant to be caves or what, but there was cardboard and wooden cutouts of Minecraft figures, such as Steve, monsters and animals. I'm not saying they did a bad job at Small World, but considering the landscaping in the Expo Hall, it could have been better.

Expo-|

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Small-|

World 

With the top being :D and the bottom being ;( 

Yep.

So, that marks the end to gaming week (or two) on the blog. I hope everyone enjoyed it!

-Beth

Happy Reading!♥